Concacaf giants clash as Saprissa host Pumas

MIAMI, Florida – A pair of three-time Concacaf champions will square off in the first leg of the 2022 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Round of 16 when Costa Rican giants Deportivo Saprissa welcome in Pumas of Mexico on Wednesday night at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa in San Jose, Costa Rica.

It will be the first meeting between the two clubs since their iconic match-up in the 2005 Concacaf Champions Cup Final when Saprissa emerged with a dramatic 3-2 aggregate victory.

Christian Bolanos scored in that Final for Saprissa and now 17 years later he will try to achieve the same kind of result with the Monstruo Morado against the Liga MX club.

Bolanos is not the only experienced player that Saprissa will have in the fold against Pumas. MF Jimmy Marin and attacking players Marvin Angulo and Mariano Torres all have a wealth of SCCL matches under their belts.

They will be up against a Pumas side that have their fair share of goal-scorers, evidenced by the 11 goals in five games thus far in the 2022 Liga MX Clausura.

FW Rogerio has three of those 11 goals on the young domestic season, while Leonel Lopez is a clever playmaking MF. However, it is Juan Ignacio Dinneno who perhaps has the best nose for goal, with 16 scores in 36 appearances during the 2020-21 season in Mexico.

Pumas are also strong at the back with the steady presence of veteran GK Alfredo Talavera, who won the 2013-14 SCCL Golden Glove as a member of runners-up Toluca.

Another meeting between former Final foes should make for exciting atmosphere in the Costa Rican capital.

Match Officials